Galata Bridge

The Galata Bridge is a bridge that crosses over the Golden Horn in Istanbul, Turkey. This bridge is one of the most famous in the world and there is a lot of history that surrounds it.

History

The first recorded bridge over the Golden Horn was built back in the 6th century when Justinian the Great ruled over the land. The first bridge was located near the Theodosian Land Walls, which was at the city’s western end.

From as early as 1502 there were plans to build the first bridge. A design was solicited by Sultan Bayezid II, and Leonardo da Vinci designed a single spanned bridge that was 787 feet long and 78 wide, but the design was refused by the Sultan. If the bridge had been built it would have been the longest bridge in the world.

The first bridge, which was located at the mouth of the water, was built in 1845 by Valide Sultan, who was the mother of Sultan Abdulmecid. That bridge was used for almost 20 years. It was known as the “New Bridge,” as this helped distinguish it from the older bridge that was located a little further up the Golden Horn.

Many Bridges

The first bridge was replaced by a second bridge made from wood. This was back in the year of 1863. Ethem Pertev Pasa built it after receiving orders from Sultan Abdulaziz. The construction of a third bridge eventually started, and it was completed in 1875. The third bridge was 46 feet wide and 1,575 feet long. The bridge was used up until the year of 1912. That was when the bridge was pulled further along stream, where it replaced the old Cisr-i-Atik Bridge. The fourth bridge ended up being built in 1912. It was constructed as a floating bridge. The modern bridge that is used today replaced the fourth bridge after it suffered from fire damage in 1992. After the bridge suffered from the fire, it was moved upstream from the Golden Horn.

The Bridge Today

Today tourists can visit the bridge and see some amazing views of the Golden Horn. They can also cross from one end of the city to the next, as the bridge allows pedestrians to go on it. The bridge is a main passageway to Constantinople.

Things to Do in the Area

There are plenty of things to do on both sides of the Golden Horn. There are many restaurants and shops and unique buildings that people can visit on both sides of the Galata Bridge. Guests can reach the bridge via ferry, taxi or they can drive to it and park their vehicle. There are plenty of places to park in the area.